Brian Rokos

Reporter

Recent articles

Heat waves

The heat wave smothering Southern California is expected to last until at least Saturday — with record-breaking temperatures possible in some areas.Power officials said the searing digits are stressing electrical infrastructure as people try to keep cool.“It is a situation where we’ve had four days of very hot weather, and we’re having more,” said Mary Ann Milbourn, a spokeswoman for Southern California Edison, on Thursday, Aug. 31. “Our...

Weather

An afternoon of extreme weather in parts of Southern California on Monday brought record-setting temperatures, isolated thunderstorms that dropped up to 2 inches of rain and winds strong enough to topple trees.The dangerous heat, which prompted warnings that people could risk heat-related illness if they don’t limit their outdoor activity, is expected to peak today or Wednesday. People who don’t have a good place to cool off can take advantage of cool centers —...

Heat waves

The sizzling heat that has fried Southern California this week will diminish by a few degrees in the next several days, but it will be offset by higher humidity, the National Weather Service said.A surge from the Gulf of Mexico is expected, forecasters say.“That will mean more humid air tempering the heat, but not the comfort level,” the forecast discussion said.The moisture will create a slight chance of thunderstorms, mainly in the mountains through...

Immigration policy

The whirlwind never seems to stop for former Moreno Valley resident Sabine Durden, and last week it carried her from Arkansas to Washington, D.C., where Wednesday she reunited with President Donald Trump for the first time since she campaigned together with him.Tuesday, Durden had helped launch Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime, which aims to influence public policy on immigrants who illegally immigrate to the U.S.And Thursday, Durden sat down with another person...

Heat waves

Blacktops, freeways, the urban mall.Global warming, too, but that’s not all.“And Mother Nature with this stationary high-pressure system,” adds Bill Patzert, climatologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, explaining why it’s going to continue to be unreasonably hot for several more days.“It’s called the triple heat whammy,” he said.Patzert on Monday, June 19, called upon his 34 years of...

Gang-related crime

Federal agents on Friday arrested 22 reputed members of the Vagos Motorcycle Club in the Inland Empire and elsewhere in Southern California — as well as Northern California and other states — accusing them of committing violence against rival gang members, and even their own, and building their territory through crime and intimidation.Federal authorities consider the Vagos to be an outlaw motorcycle gang.

Heat waves

As far as the National Weather Service’s predictions can see — about 10 days — Southern California is in line for above-normal temperatures.Limiting your activities and drinking lots of water — that goes for pets, too — will help you get through this stretch.Here are some other important things to note:Q:...

War casualties

Three members of the U.S. Army’s elite 101st Airborne Division, one of which was from Barstow, were killed Saturday, June 10, after they were engaged by the enemy in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Monday.Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, according to the military.Bays was killed in Peka...

Power outages

Southern California Edison officials don’t want to pop your balloon.Actually, they want you to do it.With hundreds more electrical outages attributed to metallic balloons short-circuiting power lines in 2015 and 2016 than in previous years, Edison is mounting a campaign in large type on roadside billboards and movie theater screens, asking revelers to party carefully.That means weighing down those metallic helium balloons you’re buying for Father’s...